


A Gift as Soft as Snow

by hinamatsuri



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen, IDOLiSH7 Secret Santa, Platonic Cuddling, i7ss20, let the twins be happy 2020, slight hurt/comfort?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinamatsuri/pseuds/hinamatsuri
Summary: Even though Tenn could barely show his affection, most especially to his younger twin brother, he treasured every moment they spent their time together within the warmth of his covers.
Relationships: Kujou Ten & Nanase Riku
Comments: 1
Kudos: 55





	A Gift as Soft as Snow

**Author's Note:**

> my secret santa gift for @__arisuix on twitter!! i’ve always wanted to write the twins for a while and i’m glad i was able to!!

Tenn was never really sure what to do in such a situation.

He sits on his soft, light pink bed, watching the snow fall from his window to the right of him. He felt the weight of a certain redhead leaning against his left side, a mug of hot chocolate that Tenn prepared in both of his hands. A warm, fleece blanket was draped over their knees.

Riku had came to visit Tenn at Trigger’s place numerous times before, but every meeting only left the older twin’s heart carved out hollow, up until now.

He never really knew what to do with Riku, he never knew what to say to him.

Yet for some reason, Riku was always joyful and bursting out with emotion. Did he never sense anything off about Tenn? Not like the latter wanted him to know anyways, the last thing he needed was the redhead to be caught up in worries and distress.

Tenn could only watch his younger twin brother smile at him, he could only feel his warmth through firm, sincere hugs. He never knew how to return those feelings while keeping his composure.

What made matters worse was the fact that it was nearly Christmas, the holiday of giving, and Tenn had not a single idea on what exactly he’s willing to give.

He felt the weight and warmth from his left shoulder slowly pull away, as Riku sat up and placed the empty red mug next to Tenn’s pink one on the nightstand.

He looked over at Tenn with a smile, then yet again, delivered another firm hug, perhaps from the tiredness Riku felt from his busy day.

It was also important to note that Tenn never really returned his hugs, at least after the day he’d left their household.

Sometimes he felt like shaking, his throat drying up, and his eyes welling up with tears that clouded his vision. It was all at the thought of giving Riku any affection in five years.

Not to be mistaken, he really did want to give Riku his brotherly love he had kept away for so long, but messing up was vividly foreseeable.

The redhead smiles softly, wrapping just about his entire self around his older twin, watching the snow flutter down from outside the window.

Meanwhile, Tenn’s eyes trailed towards the mini white Christmas tree standing in the dark corner of his room, the one him and Riku had decorated earlier, filling it with bright pink and red ornaments from tip to base. Though, it was mostly Riku that excitedly did the work. All Tenn could do was watch him with adoration from behind, frequently and silently snapping pictures with his phone.

He then glanced at his tv to the left of the pair of twins, remembering when they had watched a Christmas movie from their childhood about an hour ago. It brought back a memory where for a day out of many, Riku wasn’t hurt. He was joyful and exuberant, the only type of Riku Tenn had ever wanted for eternity.

Though, that must’ve been the type of Riku that belonged to IDOLiSH7. He knew they made an infinite amount of happy memories, he knew that Riku’s condition was at its minimum for so long while they were separated. Naturally, the redhead’s delight emerged without his older twin.

That logic only made his throat dry.

He could feel his left side slowly get crushed, feeling as if Riku was close to drifting off to sleep. Though it was nighttime anyways, Tenn admitted that he wanted to be awake with Riku longer.

Without thinking, he firmly patted Riku’s head, to which then he lifted it off of his shoulder. Riku was quick to oblige, fully heaving himself off of the older twin without a word.

“I-I wasn’t sleepinggg..!” He drowsily stammered.

Tenn smiled, doing his best to hold in his laughter from how cute his baby brother was.

“You’re really soft and warm, you know!” Riku continued, “Guess it never changed since then...”

“Well, I doubt I can be as soft and warm as the rest of IDOLiSH7.” Tenn sighed quietly.

“What did you say?”

“Ah, don’t mind it.”

Riku pouted, but like an obedient puppy, he didn’t wish to press further.

They continued to watch the snow fall, with the redhead commenting here and there about Santa’s arrival and where he was. Tenn and Riku had stopped believing in Santa after their childhood, but it was a shared belief among them that thinking of his existence created enjoyment and fun every now and then.

Tenn’s answers consisted of brief nods and hums of agreement, busy with his thoughts repeatedly telling him how much Riku was happier without him.

No, he didn’t want to think this way, but they returned every time he fought back, stronger and stronger as he did his best to force any unwanted thoughts away.

“Riku...” He called quietly. He wasn’t sure why, but Tenn felt like calling his name for comfort.

“Hm?” Riku answered, averting his eyes from the window and towards Tenn.

The older twin froze as their gazes locked, hesitation controlling him.

Suddenly, without thinking, he rapidly returned Riku’s embrace, left arm locked around his shoulders as Tenn’s right hand combed through the younger twin’s soft, red hair.

“Tenn-nii...?!” Riku called out in surprise, noticing Tenn’s hug gradually tightening.

“I really enjoyed today, thank you.” Tenn whispered, a grin forming on his lips. Though Riku could not see it, he felt the soft touch of the older twin’s hand through his hair and the beating of his heart, enough to know how delighted Tenn was.

“You did?” Riku replied.

Tenn drew back, hand still on the younger twin’s head, his smile widening with a slight blush on his cheeks. “Of course, every second of it.”

A cute sound came out of Riku, one with a mix of awe, astonishment, and happiness, the kind of sound Tenn always wanted to hear out of the redhead.

Tenn could feel himself shaking once again. Perhaps it was nervousness or anxiety again, or perhaps it was his excitement. Either way, he refuses to let that stop him from realizing how refreshing it was to spend an entire day with his cute little brother again.

He felt like crying in the moment as well. He wasn’t sure why; he wasn’t one to cry in front of Riku either. He wanted to maintain his cool and protective older brother image, even if he couldn’t exactly call each other family anymore.

One thing’s for sure, he couldn’t deny that they were connected by a thread, a thread of the blood they shared. It was something he couldn’t ignore no matter what.

Before any sniffles came out of Tenn, he began to speak once again, “It’s quite late now, we should go to sleep. Ryuu would scold us for making a ruckus.”

Riku laughed, instantly lying down against the soft and warm mattress. Tenn mimicked him, laying next to him as he stared at the ceiling.

“Tenn-nii, remember when you’d hold my hands while we sleep whenever I got a nightmare?” Riku spoke quietly, facing Tenn.

The latter turned his head towards the younger twin, nodding in agreement.

Riku’s cheeks flushed. “Do you...wanna do that now?”

Tenn blinked at him for a few seconds, before replying, “Well you haven’t gotten a nightmare.”

The redhead pouted, “That doesn’t matter! Just answer the question!”

Tenn sighed and gave in, firmly grasping Riku’s right hand with his left, which was quite warm to the touch. “Alright then.”

The redhead smiled in response, in return, shifting closer to lace their fingers together as he pulled the covers closer to the pair of twins.

“I apologize, if you were expecting a Christmas gift from me...I didn’t get one for you.” Tenn sighed sorrowfully, averting his eyes from the redhead, expecting his puppy-like expression to go from happiness to distraught.

Instead, Riku chuckle, soft and short, as he tightened his grip on Tenn’s pale hand, slightly shaking.

“Today was the best Christmas gift I could ask for, you know!” He reassured. “I wouldn’t want anything else from Tenn-nii!”

The older twin looked up, his heart thawing from the coolness of his unwanted thoughts, as he slowly began to smile, blush tainting his cheeks, as rose gold eyes welled up with tears that he did his best to conceal.

“I feel the same.”

Tenn never really knew what to do with Riku, that is, until now.

He needed soft embraces, reassuring smiles, and someone to keep him company. While IDOLiSH7 did exactly that, something about those criteria coming from Tenn felt more valuable, as if nothing could compare to the brotherly affection the older twin gave to Riku.

The redhead’s smile was visibly wider, his body was less tense, and his enthusiasm grew stronger all when being within the vicinity of Tenn.

As much as the older twin hesitated and gave off a cold aura around Riku in public, his love was immeasurably irreplaceable, and his worry and praise over the younger twin grew every day.

As Riku drifted off to sleep with a cute smile, Tenn looked at the sight in front of him, the sight of a person he could cherish forever, no matter how much distance he shamefully put between them.

His “I love you” was barely heard, even by himself, but he knew that one day, those words could convey to Riku properly.


End file.
